Stay With Me
by amessoffand0ms
Summary: Alternate version of the last Zax scene in "Hello, I Must Be Going." Max tries to persuade Zoe to stay. The second of two fic prompts by my good friend Harriet.


"Zoe!" Max called, catching sight of his wife.

She was at the airport, about to go through security and board the plane to America. Max had been given a lift by Robyn to try and talk the consultant round before she left him forever.

Zoe turned around. "Max, don't do this. I have to go."

"No, you don't." He responded, taking a step closer to her. "Remember what I told you on our wedding day?"

"Yes. 'We can be happy, I promise you we can.'" Zoe nodded, tears beginning to fall from her cheeks. "Oh Max, I don't want to hurt you anymore. I'd love to stay here, to try and make us work, I'm just so afraid of hurting you." She was now crying properly-the couple attracted a few stares. Neither noticed, too wrapped up in the other's pain.

"Zoe." He said.

She lifted her head to look at him. "Yeah?"

"I love you, unconditionally. I want us to grow old together, as a happy, married, couple." Max announced, taking another step closer to her and tentatively taking her hand.

"I love you too." Zoe whispered, her fingers wrapping around his own. "So much. I want that too."

"So let's make a go of it. Please Zoe."

"Okay then..." She smiled shyly. "There's a consultant post going at St James's- I'm sure that they could always use more porters."

"I'm sure that they could." Max agreed.

"The flat is still up for sale, we could both move back in there." Zoe suggested.

"I'd like that." Max smiled.

Zoe took another step closer to Max, hesitated for a moment, and cuddled into him. She closed her eyes, listening to his heart beating. The female felt content, happy- happier than she'd been in a while.

Max wrapped his arms around his wife and dropped a kiss to her head, holding her closely and tightly- he didn't want to ever let her go again.

People swarmed around them, neither cared. They were both overjoyed that the other had chosen to have a future with them.

Zoe pulled away from Max after a few moments. "Shall we go home?"

"Yeah, but first..." the porter kissed her, lovingly and passionately.

She smiled against him. "I love you."

"I love you too, Mrs Walker."

Zoe's heart skipped a beat. "I guess I am Mrs Walker. I like it."

"You should do, it's not bad."

"Guess it's not, being married to you." She teased. "I'm joking. I think that married life will be amazing... I sound soppy but when I'm with you I feel so, so happy and confident, like I can take on anything."

"Together we can deal with anything the world throws at us." Max said, taking her hand.

"Exactly."

After Zoe had retrieved her suitcase and a quick word with Robyn, the couple walked home, hand in hand.

It was peaceful, Zoe and Max were each content.

Zoe smiled to herself- she never thought that she'd be properly, totally happy with Max- now it was really happening.

They got back to the flat, Max collapsed onto the sofa. "That was a long walk."

"Try doing it in heels." Zoe groaned, slipping her shoes off and sitting next to him. Shyly, she shuffled up to her husband and laid her head on his shoulder.

Max smiled and put his arm around her. "This is nice."

"It is." Zoe agreed, snuggling into him. "I've realised that we can do this, snuggle up together like a normal couple, because we are one."

"We are." He agreed.

Zoe felt something in her coat pocket- her wedding ring.

"What's up?" Max questioned.

Zoe pulled her ring out of her pocket. "Um..."

"That's funny, because..." Max pulled his own ring out of the pocket of his hoodie.

The consultant placed her wedding ring in the palm of Max's free hand and took his ring off him and slid it onto his wedding ring finger.

Max smiled and repeated the action with Zoe's wedding ring, sliding it onto the third finger of her left hand.

Zoe smiled. "How about snuggles in front of the TV and then a Chinese for tea?"

"That sounds good. Bed afterwards?"

"You bet! I need some way of working off all those calories." Zoe winked.

 **The End :-) x**


End file.
